Audio and/or video generation apparatus and method of generating audio and /or video signals

ABSTRACT

An audio and/or video generation apparatus is arranged in operation to generate audio and/or video signals representative of an audio and/or video source has a meta data generation tool which is arranged in operation to generate meta data associated with the audio and/or video signals, wherein the type of meta data generated by the meta data generation tool is user selectable. The audio and/or video generation apparatus may comprise a recording means which is arranged in operation to record the audio and/or video signals on a recording medium, and the audio and/or video generation apparatus may be arranged to receive meta data associated with the audio and/or video signals generated by a data processor, the recording means being arranged in operation to record the meta data on the recording medium with the audio and/or video signals. The meta data may be user generated, such as text describing the audio/video signals, or may be secondary meta data which is automatically generated by the audio/video apparatus. The recording medium may be a linear recording medium, and the recording means may be arranged in operation to record at least one of the user generated meta data and the secondary meta data on the recording medium after the audio and/or video signals at a position at which at least one of the user generated and secondary meta data can be read by a reproducing means before the audio and/or video signals.

This application is a continuation application of, and claims priorityto, Ser. No. 09/795,538, filed Feb. 28, 2001, and claims priority toUnited Kingdom Patent Application Number 0004973.4, filed on Mar. 1,2000, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to audio and/or video generation apparatusand methods of generating audio and/or video signals. The presentinvention also relates to methods of recording audio and/or videosignals.

In preferred embodiments the audio and/or video generation apparatus isa video camera, camcorder or television camera or the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The subject matter and content of audio and video productions variesgreatly. In addition, to this variety there is, correspondingly, aconsiderable quantity of such audio and video productions. The quantityhas been required to meet the demand from the broadcast andentertainment industries. The audio productions include, for example,radio broadcasts, both live and pre-recorded, musical and audiorecordings, whereas video productions include, for example, films,television programs and video recordings. As will be appreciatedtypically video productions also include an accompanying sound track orcommentary, so that an audio production is inherently included as partof the video production.

The term audio and/or video will be used herein to refer to any from ofaudio information or signals, video information or signals, or acombination of video and audio information or signals. The termaudio/video will be used for short to refer to audio and/or video.

As a result of the great variety and considerable quantity ofaudio/video productions, the task of locating particular content itemsof audio/video material within an archive of audio/video productionsrepresents an arduous and labour intensive task, because an operatormust visually search the audio/video productions for the desired contentitem. Furthermore, because of the length of audio/video productionswhich are typically although not exclusively stored on linear recordingmedia, the task of navigating through the media to locate particularcontent items of audio/video material from an audio/video production istime consuming and labour intensive.

In our co-pending UK patent application number GB 9921235.9 there isdisclosed a method and apparatus for navigating through the content ofaudio/video material using metadata which represents the content of theaudio/video material.

The term metadata as used herein refers to and includes any form ofinformation or data which serves to describe either the content ofaudio/video material or parameters present or used to generate theaudio/video material or any other information associated with theaudio/video material. Metadata may be, for example, “semantic metadata”which provides contextual/descriptive information about the actualcontent of the audio/video material. Examples of semantic meta data arethe start of periods of dialogue, changes in a scene, introduction ofnew faces or face positions within a scene or any other items associatedwith the source content of the audio/video material. The metadata mayalso be syntactic metadata which is associated with items of equipmentor parameters which were used whilst generating the audio/video materialsuch as, for example, an amount of zoom applied to a camera lens, anaperture and shutter speed setting of the lens, and a time and date whenthe audio/video material was generated. Although meta data may berecorded with the audio/video material with which it is associated,either on separate parts of a recording medium or on common parts of arecording medium, meta data in the sense used herein is intended for usein navigating and identifying features and essence of the content of theaudio/video material, and may, therefore be separated from theaudio/video signals when the audio/video signals are reproduced. Themeta data is therefore separable from the audio/video signals.

The apparatus and method for navigating through the content ofaudio/video material disclosed in the co-pending UK patent applicationnumber GB 9921235.9 uses the meta data which has been generated with theaudio/video signals to navigate through the items of contextual oressence information of the audio/video material.

In a further co-pending UK patent application number 9921234.2 there isdisclosed an editing system for editing source content such asaudio/video material to produce an edited audio/video production byapplying a template representative of a desired production style to metadata associated with the audio/video material to form the production.Again the meta data must be generated with the audio/video material inorder for the editing system to form the audio/video production.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention there is provided an audio and/orvideo generation apparatus which is arranged in operation to generateaudio and/or video signals representative of an audio and/or videosource having a meta data generation tool which is arranged in operationto generate meta data associated with said audio and/or video signals,wherein the type of meta data generated by said meta data generationtool is user selectable.

As discussed above there is a great variety in the nature and content ofaudio/video productions. The audio/video productions are created fromaudio/video material generated using, for example, video cameras,television cameras as well as computer generating graphics and animationprocessors. As such because of the variety in the nature and content ofaudio/video productions, the type and nature of metadata which is to beassociated with the audio/video material correspondingly differs.Furthermore although it has been known to associate metadata withaudio/video productions for facilitating asset management for archivingthe audio/video productions, as indicated in our co-pending patentapplications mentioned above, is proposed to use metadata forfacilitating the creation of the audio/video productions by editing andnavigating through the content of the audio/video material. Animprovement in the creation of audio/video productions is thereforegained by providing a metadata generation tool which has a facility forallowing a user to select a type of metadata which is generated by thetool in association with the audio/video material produced. In this waythe metadata can be adapted to the nature and subject of the audio/videoproduction to which the audio/video signal source content is to beapplied.

To facilitate selection of the metadata to be associated with theaudio/video signals the metadata generation tool may be arranged togenerate metadata of a plurality of different types and the metadatageneration tool may be provided with a user interface for selecting atleast one of the plurality of different types of metadata, the metadatabeing generated in operation from the audio/video signals in accordancewith the user selected metadata types.

Thus, whilst it is conceivable that the audio/video generation apparatusmay be provided with a facility for generating any type of metadata, ina preferred embodiment the metadata generated by the audio/videogeneration apparatus may be of a predetermined plurality of types, whichmay be may selected by the user using the user interface. Furthermore inorder to ensure that at least some metadata is generated with theaudio/video signals generated by the apparatus in case the user neglectsto select a metadata type, the metadata generation tool may be arrangedto generate metadata of a default type in absence of a user selectingfrom the plurality of metadata types.

Advantageously the meta data generation tool may be arranged to generatemeta data in accordance with a plurality of pre-determined meta dataselections, each of which specifies at least one of the plurality ofdifferent meta data types arranged in a predetermined format, the userinterface being arranged to provide the user with a facility forselecting one of the meta data selections for generating the meta data.The plurality of different meta data selections may be arranged inaccordance with a standard defining the type and format of metadataassociated with the audio/video signals.

In order to provide a unified form of metadata which is common withinthe audio/video production industry, standards are being developed formetadata for example by SMPTE-EBU (Society of Motion Picture andTelevision Engineers-European Broadcast Union) and by MPEG-7 (MotionPicture Expert Group, which is an ISO-IEC standards body SG29/WG11). Assuch by providing the metadata generation tool with a facility forselecting one of a plurality of pre-defined meta data selections, theselections being defined in accordance with a standard such as forexample that proposed by SMPTE-EBU then the user may select anappropriate standard for the type of audio/video material beinggenerated by the audio/video generation apparatus.

Although the audio/video signals generated by the apparatus may bebroadcast directly with the metadata from a remote location,advantageously the audio and/or video generation apparatus may furthercomprise a recording/reproducing apparatus which is arranged inoperation to record the audio and/or visual information signals onto arecordable medium with the metadata.

In a preferred embodiment the audio and/or video generation apparatusmay be a video camera, camcorder, television camera, cinema camera orthe like.

According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided a metadata generation tool for use in generating metadata in association withan audio and/or visual generation apparatus, the tool being arranged inoperation to generate meta data associated with audio and/or videosignals, wherein the type of meta data generated by said tool isselectable.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provideda method of generating audio and/or video information signals,comprising the steps of identifying the nature of the audio and/or videoinformation signals to be generated, selecting appropriate types of metadata to be generated with the audio and/or video signals, and generatingthe meta data of the selected type in association with the audio and/orvideo information signals.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is providedan audio and/or video generation apparatus which is arranged inoperation to generate audio and/or video signals representative of anaudio and/or video source, the audio and/or video generation apparatuscomprising a recording means which is arranged in operation to recordthe audio and/or video signals on a recording medium, wherein the audioand/or video generation apparatus is arranged to receive metadataassociated with the audio and/or video signals generated by processor,the recording means being arranged in operation to record the metadataon the recording medium with the audio and/or video signals.

An audio/video generation apparatus which is arranged to receivemetadata generated by a data processor is provided with an improvedfacility for introducing metadata associated with audio/video signalsgenerated by the audio/video apparatus.

Furthermore, the audio/video generation apparatus may be provided with auser interface having a predetermined format for connecting the audioand/or video generation apparatus to the data processor. The interfacetherefore provides a facility for the data processor to be connected tothe audio and/or video generation apparatus using the interface. Thepredetermined format may be of a common type thereby providing afacility for a range of possible data processors to be connected to theaudio/video generation apparatus. As such, the data processor provides afacility for a user to generate metadata and for including this metadatawith the audio and/or video signals generated by the audio/videogeneration apparatus. The metadata may be recorded separately on therecording medium, from the audio and/or video signals.

A further improvement is provided to the audio and/or video generationapparatus by providing a metadata generator coupled to the recordingmeans, the metadata generator being arranged in operation to generatesecondary metadata associated with the audio and/or video signals,wherein the user generated metadata and the secondary metadata arearranged to be recorded in combination on the recording medium. As suchthe metadata generator which is embodied within the audio and/or videogeneration apparatus provides a facility for automatically generatingthe secondary metadata which is therefore associated with theaudio/video signals.

The secondary metadata may be semantic metadata representative ofoperating parameters of the audio and/or video generation apparatus whenthe audio and/or video signals are generated.

In a preferred embodiment the user generated metadata may be textinformation. Furthermore the secondary metadata may be stored in a datastore and combined with the user generated metadata by a controlprocessor and recorded onto the recording medium by the recording means.

The data processor may have a speech conversion processor which isarranged in operation to generate the text information by convertingsound signals representative of spoken communication by the user intothe text information. This provides a further improvement infacilitating the generation of the user generated meta data in thatalthough the data processor may be provided with an alpha numeric keypad for generating the user generated metadata, by providing a speechconversion processor, the user may speak the desired meta data to beassociated with the audio/video material from which the metadata isgenerated and recorded on the recording medium. In one embodimenttherefore the data processor may be a personal computer. In anotherembodiment, the data processor may be a personal digital assistant suchas a PSION™ or a PALM PILOT™ or the like. In other embodiments the audioand/or video generation apparatus may be a video camera, a televisioncamera or a camcorder or the like.

The recording medium may be a linear recording medium and the recordingmeans may be arranged in operation to record at least one of the usergenerated meta data and the secondary metadata on the recording mediumafter the audio and/or video signals at a position at which the at leastone of the user generated metadata and the secondary metadata can beread by a reproducing means before the audio and/or video signals.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provideda method of recording audio and/or video signals comprising the steps ofrecording the audio and/or video signals on a recording medium,generating automatically meta data in response to said audio and/orvideo signals, providing user generated meta data associated with saidaudio and/or video signals, and recording said meta data on saidrecording medium with said audio and/or video signals.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is providedan audio and/or video generation apparatus which is arranged inoperation to generate audio and/or video signals representative of anaudio and/or visual source, the audio and/or video apparatus comprisinga recording means which is arranged in operation to record the audioand/or video signals on a recording medium, wherein the recording mediumis a linear recording medium, and the recording means is arranged inoperation to record metadata associated with the audio and/or videosignals on the recording medium after the audio and/or video signals ata position at which the metadata can be read by a reproducing meansbefore the audio and/or video signals.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provideda method of recording audio and/or video material comprising the stepsof generating audio and/or video signals representative of audio and/orvideo material from an audio and/or visual source, recording the audioand/or video signals on a linear recording medium and recording metadataassociated with the audio and/or video signals on the recording mediumafter the audio and/or video signals at a position at which the metadatacan be read by a reproducing means before the audio and/or videosignals.

Further aspects and features of the present invention are defined in theappended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way ofexample with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a video camera operativelycoupled to a personal digital assistant,

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of the body of the video camerashown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is an example representation of information recorded onto amagnetic tape,

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram representing a method for recording audio/videomaterial,

FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram of an arrangement in which acamcorder is connected to a personal computer,

FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram of the body of the camcorder shownin FIG. 3,

FIG. 7 is a representation of an image formed by the camcorder,

FIG. 8 is a schematic block diagram of a video camera embodying a metadata generation tool,

FIG. 9 is a schematic block diagram of a meta data generation tool shownin FIG. 8, and

FIG. 10 is a table representing examples of pre-defined meta dataselections.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As will be understood from the introduction and discussion above,embodiments of the present invention relate to audio and/or videogeneration apparatus which may be for example television cameras, videocameras or camcorders. As a first illustration of an embodiment of thepresent invention, FIG. 1 provides a schematic block diagram of a videocamera which is arranged to be connected to a personal digitalassistant. A personal digital assistant is an example of a dataprocessor which may be arranged in operation to generate metadata inaccordance with a user's requirements. The term personal digitalassistant is known to those acquainted with the technical field ofconsumer electronics as a portable or hand held personal organiser ordata processor including an alpha numeric key pad and may also include ahand writing interface. In FIG. 1 a video camera 1 is shown to comprisea camera body 2 which is arranged to receive light from an image sourcefalling within a field of view of an imaging arrangement 4 which mayinclude one or more imaging lenses (not shown). The camera also includesa view finder 6 and an operating control unit 8 from which a user cancontrol the recording of signals representative of the images formedwithin the field of view of the camera. The camera 1 also includes amicrophone 10 which may be a plurality of microphones arranged to recordsound in stereo. Also shown in FIG. 1 is hand personal digital assistant12 which has a screen 14 and an alphanumeric key pad 16 which alsoincludes a portion to allow the user to write characters recognised bythe personal digital assistant. The personal digital assistant 12 isarranged to be connected to the video camera 1 via an interface 18. Theinterface 18 is arranged in accordance with a predetermined standardformat such as, for example an RS232 or the like. The interface 18provides a facility for receiving metadata generated using the personaldigital assistant 12 which can be recorded with the audio and videosignals detected and captured by the video camera 1. A betterunderstanding of the operation of the video camera 1 in combination withthe personal digital assistant 12 may be gathered from FIG. 2 whichshows a more detailed representation of the body of the video camera 2which is shown in FIG. 1 and in which common parts have the samenumerical designations.

In FIG. 2 the camera body 2 is shown to comprise a tape drive 22 havingread/write heads 24 operatively associated with a magnetic recordingtape 26. Also shown in FIG. 2 the camera body includes a controlprocessor 28 coupled to the tape drive 22 via a connecting channel 30.Also connected to the control processor 28 is a data store 32 and asecondary metadata generator 34. The secondary metadata generator 34 isconnected to a clock 36 and three sensors 38, 40, 42. The interface unit18 is also shown in FIG. 2 to receive first and second connectingchannels 44 and 46. Correspondingly two connecting channels connect theinterface unit 18 to the control processor 28 via correspondingconnecting channels 48 and 50.

The video camera 1 shown in FIG. 1 operates to record visual informationfalling within the field of view of the lenses arrangement 4 onto arecording medium. The visual information is converted by the camera intovideo signals. In combination, the visual images are recorded as videosignals with accompanying sound which is detected by the microphone 10and arranged to be recorded as audio signals on the recording mediumwith the video signals. As shown in FIG. 2, the recording medium is amagnetic tape 26 which is arranged to record the audio and video signalsonto the recording tape 26 by the read/write heads 24. The arrangementby which the video signals and the audio signals are recorded by theread/write heads 24 onto the magnetic tape 26 is not shown in FIG. 2 andwill not be further described as this does not provide any greaterillustration of the example embodiment of the present invention. Howeveronce a user has captured visual images and recorded these images usingthe magnetic tape 26 as with the accompanying audio signals, metadatadescribing the content of the audio/video signals may be input using thepersonal digital assistant 12. As shown in FIG. 2 the interface unit 18provides a facility whereby the metadata added by the user using thepersonal digital assistant 12 may be received within the camera body 2.Data signals representative of the user generated metadata are receivedvia the connecting channels 44, 46 at the interface unit 18. Theinterface unit 18 serves to convert these signals into a form in whichthey can be processed by the control processor 28 which receives thesedata signals via the connecting channels 48, 50.

Secondary metadata is also generated by the secondary metadata generator34. In the example embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, the secondarymetadata includes time codes which are generated with reference to theclock 36. The secondary metadata may also include the aperture settingof the camera lens 4, the shutter speed 40 and a signal received via thecontrol unit 8 to indicate that the visual images captured are a “goodshot”. These signals and data are generated by the sensors 38, 40, 42and received at the secondary metadata processor 34. In combinationtherefore in the example embodiment the secondary metadata generate 34is arranged to produce syntactic metadata which defines and providesoperating parameters which are used by the camera in generating thevideo signals. The secondary or syntactic metadata is therefore also fedto the control processor 28.

In the example embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the syntactic metadatais generated automatically at the time and during the generation of thevideo signals. However a remaining technical problem is how to recordthe secondary metadata on the magnetic tape 26. In the exampleembodiment shown in FIG. 2, the control processor 28 is provided withthe data store 32. Therefore during the process of capturing the videosignals, the control processor 28 stores the secondary metadata in thedata store 32. At the time at which the user has finished recording thevideo signals which serve to capture a particular event, then the usermay generate metadata using the personal digital assistant 12. Once theuser generated metadata is received within the control processor 28, theuser generated metadata is combined with the secondary metadata storedin the data store 32 and written onto the magnetic tape 26 using theread/write heads 24 by feeding appropriate signals via the connectingchannel 30. In combination therefore a user is provided with aconvenient and improved facility for adding metadata to the audio/videomaterial generated by the video camera 1.

Examples of automatically generated secondary metadata are good shotmarkers, Rec marks (indicating where recording starts/stops), GPSlocation, Time and Date, UMID (Unique Material Identifier), Camerasettings, focus, zoom, etc. Examples of metadata added by the usermanually associated with the source content after it has been created,are for example Cameraman, Journalist Notes, Style comments,Suggestions, Annotations, Location/Assignment comments, Shotidentification such as Intro, Finish, Commentary, Voice Over, etc. Inaddition, there is much development in progress directed to theautomatic extraction of metadata from the content, for example by usingrecognition tools, for example face and feature detection tools, speechrecognition tools etc., to identify features within the content, andthereby enable appropriate metadata to be added.

A further advantageous feature of the example embodiment of the presentinvention is illustrated with reference to FIG. 3. In FIG. 3 anillustration is shown of a section of the magnetic tape 26 upon whichthe audio/video signals and the metadata have been recorded. As shown inFIG. 3, the audio/video signals are recorded first in a first portion 54whereas the combined user generated and secondary metadata is recordedonto a later portion of the magnetic tape 56. Furthermore the controlprocessor operates in combination with the recording heads 24 to recordthe user generated and secondary metadata at a position at which themetadata will be read first by a reproducing or video scanning orplaying apparatus before the audio/video signals recorded in the portion54. This provides a particular advantage in that an editor is providedwith a rapid indication of the content of the audio/video sourceinformation present on the tape 56.

The process by which metadata is produced using the personal digitalassistant 12 and combined with the secondary metadata to form part ofthe recording of the audio/video signals is illustrated with referenceto a flow diagram shown in FIG. 4. In FIG. 4 a first step in theoperation of the process is that the video camera 1 generatesaudio/video signals representative of the visual images captured by thecamera and the accompanying audio sound track. This is represented byprocess step 60. After the audio/video signals have been generated, theuser specifies metadata which is to be added to the audio video signalsand generates this user generated metadata using the personal digitalassistant 12. This is performed at the processor step 62. During thecapture of the audio/video signals, the camera 1 operates toautomatically generate the secondary metadata which is associated withthe audio/video signals and this is performed by process step 64. Thesecondary metadata and the user generated metadata are then combined ina process step 66 and in the final process step 68, the combinedsemantic metadata and user generated metadata are recorded onto themagnetic tape 26.

A second embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 5 in whicha camcorder 70 is connected to a personal computer 72. The camcorder 70is connected to the personal computer 72 via a connecting channel 74 andan interface unit 76. As with the first embodiment, the interface unit76 may be arranged in accordance with a predetermined format, and maycorrespond to a standardised interface thereby allowing a facility forthe camcorder 70 to be connected to any form of data processor of whichthe personal computer 72 is just one example. As with the firstembodiment, the interface unit 76 serves to provide a facility by whichmetadata may be introduced into the camcorder 70 to be recorded withaudio/video signals generated by the camcorder. However, also shown inFIG. 5 is a microphone 78. In the second embodiment shown in FIG. 5, thepersonal computer 72 is arranged to operate a speech conversion ordictation application program which provides a facility for convertingwords spoken into the microphone 78 by the user into text. In this waythe user may speak desired metadata into the microphone 78 which may beconverted into the text metadata and fed via the connecting channel 74to the interface unit 76. The metadata is then recorded onto therecording medium used by the camcorder as shown in more detail in FIG.6.

FIG. 6 provides a more detailed block diagram of the camcorder body 75which is shown in FIG. 5. The camcorder body 75 is shown to comprise animage processing unit 82 which is arranged to convert images formed bythe imaging lens 71 into video signals representative of the images andalso to combine these video images with audio signals detected by amicrophone of the camcorder (not shown). These audio/video signals aregenerated by the processor 82 and fed to a tape driving processor 84which includes recording heads and operates to record the audio/videosignals onto a magnetic tape 86. Also shown in FIG. 6 is the interfaceunit 76 which is connected to two connecting conductors which form theconnection channel 74. The interface unit 76 is correspondinglyconnected to a metadata control processor 88 via two conductors 90, 92.The metadata controller 88 is connected to the tape dive controller 84via a connecting channel 94. The camcorder is also provided with a userinterface through which commands may be input. A user interface 96 isshown in FIG. 6 to have five control buttons 98 thorough which commandsmay be input. One of these operating buttons 98 is connected to a textbuilding unit 100 which is also connected to the image processor 82. Thetext building unit 100 also receives signals generated from a jogshuttle input device 102 via a connecting channel 103. The text buildingunit 100 is triggered in a conventional camcorder by one of theoperating buttons 98 forming the user interface unit 96. This provides afacility through which a user may generate text such as a title orsummary of the images captured by the camcorder. The letters of eachword are selected using the jog-shuttle device 102 in order to introducethe desired text. An example of this is shown in FIG. 7 which providesan illustrative representation of the image formed by the camcorder andwhich would be viewed in the view finder 73. Here the title “Christmas1999” is shown superimposed on the images captured within the field ofview of the camcorder lens 71. The title “Christmas 1999” shown at acentral position 104 within the screen is therefore superimposed withthe images captured or shot by the camcorder 70 and recorded with theseimages onto the magnetic tape 86. Similarly as shown in FIG. 7,conventional camcorders have a facility for adding the date/time 106 tothe images captured by the camcorder, which form part of the image andtherefore the video signals. In contrast however in accordance with thesecond embodiment of the present invention the text generated from thepersonal computer 72 and received at the interface unit 76 is processedby the metadata processor 88 and if appropriate stored until anappropriate command is triggered after the desired images represented bythe audio/video signals have been recorded onto the magnetic tape 86.After the audio/video signals have been recorded, the metadata is fedfrom the metadata processor 88 to the tape driving processor 84 via theconnecting channel 94 and are recorded onto the magnetic tape 86 afterthe audio/video signals. As such in preferred embodiments the metadatais recorded at the first position on the magnetic tape which would beread by a playing or editing unit so that an editor is provided withimproved knowledge of the content of the magnetic tape 86. Thus the textgenerated as metadata is distinguished from the textual information ofthe summary or title of the audio/video signals 104 or the date/time 106generated by the text building unit 100 in that the summary, title orthe date/time 106 are recorded with the audio video/signals and as suchform part of these audio/video signals. The user generated metadata incontrast is separable from the audio/video signals and so is recordedseparate from and distinct to the title, summary and date/time of theimages.

A third example embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 8embodied within a video camera 1 which corresponds substantially to thevideo camera which is shown in FIG. 1 and so the parts of the videocamera 1 shown in FIG. 8 which are common to FIG. 1 bear the samenumerical designations. For brevity only the differences between thevideo camera shown in FIG. 8 and the video camera shown in FIG. 1 willbe described. The video camera shown in FIG. 8 is provided with ametadata generation tool 110 which forms part of the video camera 1.However as will be appreciated the metadata generation tool 110 could beformed separately from the video camera 1 and connected to the videocamera 1 via an appropriate interface. Equally however the metadatageneration tool could be connected to any other form of audio and/orvideo generation apparatus such as a camcorder or computer graphics toolor the like. The metadata generation tool is provided with a userinterface 112 having a screen 114 and a keypad 116. The keypad providesa means via which the user may enter commands and text which arereceived by a user interface data processor which will be describedshortly. A more detailed diagram of the metadata generation tool shownin FIG. 8 is provided by a schematic block diagram shown in FIG. 9. InFIG. 9 the metadata generation tool 110 is shown to have a userinterface data processor 118 which is operatively coupled to the screen114 and the keypad 116 of the user interface 112 of the metadatageneration tool although this is not shown in FIG. 9. The metadatageneration tool 110 is shown in FIG. 9 to have a metadata processor 120coupled to four metadata generation sensors 122, 124, 126, 128. The userinterface data processor 118 is connected to the metadata processor 120by a control channel 130 and a metadata channel 132. Also connected tothe user interface data processor 118 is a data store 134 via aconnecting channel 136.

In operation the metadata processor operates to receive signals from themetadata sensors 122, 124, 126, 128 which are representative of valuesof parameters which are identified as metadata and which are generatedin association with the audio/video signals generated by for example thevideo camera 1. The user interface data processor 118 is arranged toreceive commands from the user via the keypad 116 which indicate whichof a plurality of types of metadata the user wishes to generate with theaudio/video signals which are recorded in association with theaudio/video signals by the video camera 1. An example of possiblemetadata types is shown in a table in FIG. 10. In FIG. 10 the first rowprovides an indication of six possible metadata types which are “Time”which is the time at which the audio/video signals are generated, “Date”which is the date at which the audio/video signals are generated, alocation at which the audio/video signals are generated as provided by a“GPS” (Global Positioning System) data value, “F Stop” which isrepresentative of the aperture setting of the video camera when theaudio/video signals were generated, “Rec” which is representative of apoint at which recording starts and stops, and finally “Text” which is atext value input by the user via the keypad 116 which the user is freeto provide and which is indicative of some value that the user considersimportant.

Whilst the user is free to select any of the metadata types available tothe video camera, as shown in FIG. 10 the metadata types are dividedinto three metadata selections. Each of these selections is representedas a corresponding row of the table and indicated as selection 1 SEL1,selection 2 SEL2, selection 3 SEL3 and finally a default setting DEFLT.The type of metadata generated for each of the selections is indicatedby a corresponding cross X in the table cell below the column whichindicates the metadata type. So for example for selection 1 SEL1 thetime, date and text will be generated as metadata. The user is arrangedto select one of the selections by inputting appropriate commands viathe keypad 116 and the user's desired selection is represented on thescreen 114. The desired selection is processed by the user interfacedata processor 118 which further operates to communicate control signalsrepresentative of this desired selection to the metadata processor 120.The metadata processor 120 is therefore correspondingly configured togenerate the metadata values for each of the metadata types from thesignals received from the metadata sensors 122, 124, 126, 128. Themetadata processor 120 then operates to generate signals representativeof the selected values which are output by the metadata generation tool110 at an output channel 140 to be associated with the audio/videosignals. If the user selects a selection which allows for text to beadded as metadata, then the text may be prompted by the user interfacedata processor 118 which may be input via the keypad 116 and stored inthe data store 134. The data store 134 may also serve to store themetadata selection the user has selected. Signals representative of auser input text are then fed via the metadata channel 132 from the userinterface data processor 118 to the metadata processor 120.

Whilst the range of different types of metadata may be very large andthe format in which the metadata is generated may also vary greatly, theSMPTE-EBU is currently investigating and standardising different typesand formats for metadata. As such one or more of the categories whichmay be available to the user via the user interface may correspond toone of the plurality of predetermined standards. In this way the usermay select the metadata standard which is most appropriate for the typeof audio/video signals which are being generated and will be recorded torepresent the content of the audio/video source. The metadata standardis used to produce and to facilitate editing of the audio/video signalsto produce an audio/video production.

As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art various modificationsmay be made to the embodiments herein before described without departingfrom the scope of the present invention. For example whilst embodimentshave been described with recording audio/video onto magnetic tape, itwill be appreciated that other recording media are possible. Furthermorealthough the user generated metadata has been represented as textinformation, it will be appreciated that any other forms of metadata maybe generated either automatically or under control of the user andreceived within the audio and/or video generation apparatus via aninterface unit. Correspondingly the secondary metadata may be any formof semantic or syntactic metadata.

As will be appreciated those features of the invention which appear inthe example embodiments as a data processor or processing units could beimplemented in hard ware as well as a software computer program runningon an appropriate data processor. Correspondingly those aspects andfeatures of the invention which are described as computer or applicationprograms running on a data processor may be implemented as dedicatedhardware. It will therefore be appreciated that a computer programrunning on a data processor which serves to form an audio and/or videogeneration apparatus as herein before described is an aspect of thepresent invention. Similarly a computer program recorded onto arecordable medium which serves to define the method according to thepresent invention or when loaded onto a computer forms an apparatusaccording to the present invention are aspects of the present invention.

1. An audio and/or video generation apparatus which is arranged inoperation to generate audio and/or video signals representative of anaudio and/or visual source, said audio and/or video generation apparatuscomprising a recording means which is arranged in operation to recordsaid audio and/or video signals on a recording medium, wherein saidaudio and/or video generation apparatus is arranged to receive meta dataassociated with said audio and/or video signals generated by a dataprocessor, said recording means being arranged in operation to recordsaid meta data on said recording medium with said audio and/or videosignals.
 2. An audio and/or video generation apparatus as claimed inclaim 1, wherein said secondary meta data is semantic meta datarepresentative of operating parameters of said audio and/or videogeneration apparatus when said audio and/or video audio and/or videosignals are generated.
 3. An audio and/or video generation apparatus asclaimed in claim 1, wherein said user generated meta data is textinformation.
 4. An audio and/or video generation apparatus as claimed inclaim 3, wherein said data processor is a personal computer.
 5. An audioand/or video generation apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein saiddata processor is a personal digital assistant.
 6. An audio and/or videogeneration apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said audio and/orvideo generation apparatus is a video camera, television camera or acamcorder or the like.
 7. An audio and/or video generation apparatus asclaimed in claim 1, wherein said recording medium is a linear recordingmedium, and said recording means is arranged in operation to record atleast one of said user generated meta data and said secondary meta dataon said recording medium after said audio and/or video signals at aposition at which said at least one of user generated and secondary metadata can be read by a reproducing means before said audio and/or videosignals.
 8. A method of recording audio and/or video signals comprisingthe steps of a recording said audio and/or video signals on a recordingmedium, generating automatically meta data in response to said audioand/or video signals, providing user generated meta data associated withsaid audio and/or video signals, and recording said user generated andsaid automatically generated meta data on said recording medium withsaid audio and/or video signals.
 9. A method as claimed in claim 8,wherein said user generated meta data is provided from a data processor.10. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein said automatically generatedmeta data is semantic meta data representative of operating parametersof said audio and/or video generation apparatus when said audio and/orvideo signals are generated.
 11. A method as claimed in claim 9, whereinsaid user generated meta data is text information.
 12. A method asclaimed in claim 8, wherein said recording medium is a linear recordingmedium, said method comprising the step of recording at least one ofsaid user generated meta data and said automatically generated meta dataon said recording medium after said audio and/or video signals at aposition at which said at least one of said user generated and saidautomatically generated meta data can be read by a reproducing meansbefore said audio and/or video signals.
 13. A computer program providingcomputer executable instructions, which when loaded on to a computerconfigures said computer to operate as an audio and/or video generationapparatus as claimed in claim
 1. 14. A computer program having computerexecutable instructions, which when loaded on to a computer causes thecomputer to perform the method according to claim
 8. 15. A computerprogram product having a computer readable medium having recordedthereon information signals representative of the computer programclaimed in claim
 13. 16. An audio and/or video generation apparatuswhich is arranged in operation to generate audio and/or video signalsrepresentative of an audio and/or visual source, said audio and/or videogeneration apparatus comprising a recording means which is arranged inoperation to record said audio and/or video signals on a recordingmedium, wherein said recording medium is a linear recording medium, andsaid recording means is arrange in operation to record meta dataassociated with said audio and/or video signals on said recording mediumafter said audio and/or video signals at a position at which said metadata can be read by a reproducing means before said audio and/or videosignals.
 17. An audio and/or video generation apparatus as claimed inclaim 16, comprising a meta data generation tool which is arranged inoperation to generate said meta data associated with said audio and/orvideo signals.
 18. An audio and/or video generation apparatus as claimedin claim 16, comprising a receiving means for receiving said meta data,wherein said meta data is user generated.
 19. An audio and/or videogeneration apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein said linearrecording apparatus is a magnetic tape.
 20. A method of recording audioand/or video signals representative on to a linear recording medium,said method comprising the steps of recording said audio and/or videosignals on to said linear recording medium, recording meta dataassociated with said audio and/or video on to said linear recordingmedium after said audio and/or video signals at a position at which saidmeta data can be read by a reproducing means before said audio and/orvideo signals.
 21. A computer program providing computer executableinstructions, which when loaded on to a computer configures saidcomputer to operate as an audio and/or video generation apparatus asclaimed in claim
 16. 22. A computer program having computer executableinstructions, which when loaded on to a computer causes the computer toperform the method according to claim
 20. 23. A computer program producthaving a computer readable medium having recorded thereon informationsignals representative of the computer program claimed in claim 21.